Field of the Invention
The present embodiments relate to the production of mixed aldol products, and more particularly, to methods and systems for producing mixed aldol products from the products of hydroformylation reactions.
Background of the Invention
Aldol condensation comprises the reaction of aldehydes and the elimination of water. Two molecules of aldehyde react producing one molecule of a dimer unsaturated aldehyde, the aldol product, with a concurrent elimination of a molecule of water. The reactants of the aldol condensation reaction may be two of the same species of aldehyde, or may be two different aldehyde species. The products of aldol condensation may comprise cross-aldol products when two different aldehyde species react or self-aldol products when two of the same aldehyde species react; these aldol condensation reactions produce the various type of aldol products, which are referred to herein as “mixed aldol products” (i.e. C6-C20α, β-unsaturated aldehydes). The mixed aldol products may comprise unsaturated aldehydes with flashpoints greater than 110° F. Hydroformylation reactions may produce side streams containing mixtures of C2-C6 aldehydes. These mixtures of C2-C6 aldehydes may also be products of the downstream reactions of hydroformylation products. These hydroformylation reaction products (e.g., C2-C6 aldehyde mixtures) may be used as reactants in the aldol condensation reactions to produce the mixed aldol products.
Generally, hydroformylation reactions may be used to produce aldehydes, which may subsequently be hydrogenated to alcohols for industrial applications. Some of the products of these reactions (including any by-products, co-products, etc.) may have limited industrial use, for example, as boiler fuel or as incineration agents to burn industrial waste. These hydroformylation reaction products may generally be considered to be undesirable products. As undesirable products, the low-value uses for these hydroformylation reaction products may not be the most economical or efficient use of their potential.
Attempts to produce desirable, high-value reagents and/or uses from the hydroformylation reaction products have been attempted previously. However, these methods may have increased costs associated with their conversion to desirable products, thus limiting their use (e.g., reduction of aldehydes to their corresponding alcohols followed by purification by distillation). Further, some of these methods may produce large amounts of products requiring tedious distillations to produce a marketable product. The economics of which are generally not feasible.
Consequently, there is a need for an efficient and economical method for producing desirable products and fuel sources from the low value product mixtures of hydroformylation reactions.